Gearshift mechanism



June4, 1940. q GIRAR HAL 2,202,950

GEARSHIFT MECHANISM Filed Oct. 22, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VE T5223? ATTO June 4, 1940. F. GIRARDI ET. AL 2,202,950

GEARSHIFT MECHANISM Filed Oct. 22, 1938 s Sheets-Sheet 2- 092A Gz'rardb' w/zd Saivre 6201 6210 THE/Q ATTORNEY.

slots 33 are provided in the block 33.

shifting yoke 33 depending from shaft 33, and a second shifting yoke 33 depending from shaft 31. By the foregoing arrangement, rocking movement of either of the sleeves 32 or 33 will effect corresponding movement of the asso iated yoke 36 or 33, the trunnion shaft arrangement for each yoke permitting the yokes to remain in a substantially vertical plane during movement thereof in opposite directions. When the cover plate 23 is mounted on the transmission box, the yokes 36 and 33 fit into operative engagement with corresponding shiftable transmission gears.

Each of the rocking sleeves 32 and 33 is provided with a radial extension having a segmental portion in which are a plurality of suitablyi spaced recesses 3i adapted to receive detent members such as ball bearings 42 which are urged outwardly by a coil spring 33 arranged in a bore provided in a depending boss 33 formed on the inner side of the cover-plate mounting. The balls 32 constitute detents which are operable to eflect snap action of the several rocking sleeves into various selected positions corresponding. to certain gear speeds selected by operation of the hand lever.

6 Means for selectively tuating the gear shifting yokes includes the provision of a pair of shifting blocks 32 and 53 (Fig. 7) mounted 'on parallel guide rods 33 and 3|, which in turn are mounted in bosses 43 cast in the cover plate,the blocks being slidable back and forth in a direction trans verse to the rocking axes of the yokes. Two pin receiving slots 33 and 33a are provided in the block 32 for the reception of selective connecting pins to be described hereinafter, and similar pin Connected portion to the block 33 by a web 33a, is a block 33 in which there is, a pin slot 31.

The yoke 33 (Figs. 6 and 7) is rocked by sliding movement of the block 32, which is connected with the yoke by a pin 33 extending from a radially oflset part of the sleeve 32 on which the yoke 33 is trunnioned.

The yoke 33 may be rocked by a similar arrangement, this yoke having a pin 33 which couples with the slot 31 in the oiIs'et block part 33 oi block 33 so that when the latter is moved back and forth, a rocking movement-is imparted to yoke 33.

Means for selectively moving either of-the shift blocks 32 or 33 includes the shifting crank or rocker 22 (Figs. 7 and ii) supported for rockingmovement as at 63 in the cover plate casting 23 and having a keyed or squared shaft portion 3| on which is slidably mounted a selecting sleeve 62 provided with spaced collar or flange means 33 adapted to receive an operating yoke arranged bn a companion selecting crank, shortly to be described.

Formed as a part. of the selectin a short radial extension or arm 33 from which projects in opposite (axial) directions the opposite extremities 33 of a selecting pin, one end of which is positioned opposite the slot 33 in the slide block 32, and the opposite end of which is disposed opposite a slot 33 in block 33.

The arrangement is such that when the select; ing sleeve 32 is displaced axially on the squared shaft 3i, one or the other extremities 33 of the selecting pin will be moved into the slot 33 or 33 on one or the other connecting blocks on the guide rods 33 and 3|, so that when the crank 22 is subsequently rocked, one or the other of the shift blocks will be moved.

When either 0! the shift blocks is thus moved sleeve 32 is by the crank 22, one or the other of the gearmoving yokes 36 or 33 will be selectively operated. If the shift block 32 is the one which is moved, such motion will be transmitted to the shifting yoke 36 through the mediumof a connecting pin 68 mounted on the radial extension of yoke sleeve 32 so as to project into the slot 33a on the connecting block 52. 11' the block 33 is the one moved, such motion will transmitted to the other shifting yoke 33 througlrthe agency of a pin 63 projecting from the yoke sleeve 33 mm the slot 51 on connecting block to, which is attached to block 33 by the web 33a.

Means for eflecting axial displacement or shiiting of the selecting sleeve 62 (Figs. 7 and 8) includes the provision of a selecting crank 2i plvotally mounted on a pin 33 in the cover-plate casting 23 and havinga rigid collar 3I in which there is cut a cam track 32. Mounted rigidly on a'stud shaft 33 arranged for sliding movement in the cover-plate casting Just above the spindle of the crank 22 (the latter is not seen in the view of Fig. 7), is another block or collar 33 from which a radial cam pin 33 projects into the cam track 32 in such manner that whenithe crank 2I is rocked, the stud shait 33 will slide in a direction in and out of the cover plate, there being a yoke 36 arranged at the inner end of the stud shaft 33 for interfltting engagement with the collar formations 33 on the selecting sleeve.

Thus, rocking movement of the selecting crank 2| willcause the stud shaft 33 to shift axially and transmit such movement through the yoke 36 to the selecting sleeve 62, with a consequent projection of one or the other opposite ends of the connecting pin 33 into the corresponding slot 33 or 33 in the sliding connecting block. Thereafter the shifting crank 22 may be rocked to actuate the correspondingly selected gear-shifting yoke. l

The manual control lever I3 and associated mechanism is of an improved construction which includes, as shown in Figs. 1 through 4, a housing 33 cast with a pair of spaced ears 3I in which the lever I3 is rockably mounted as at 32 (Fig. 3).

The housing is provided with a base 33 into which is threaded the upper end portion 33 oi a torque tube 33 extending parallelwith the -steering post I3 'through a bracket 33 attached to the latter just beneath the steering wheel. The tube 33 is arranged for rotation in the bracket 33 such that pivotal movement of the hand lever I3 in a plane substantially parallel with the steering wheel and hence transverse to the axis of the latter, will turn the tube 33.

At its lower end the torque tube 33 is pivotally supported in a bracket ,31 attached to the steering post, and, terminates in connection with a lever I33 (Fig. clamped thereto by bolt means I3I. From the free end portion of the torque tube lever a pin I32 projects into an eccentric seat in a dog leg lever I33 pivoted as at I33 on bracket 31. The opposite end of the dog leg has a ball and socket connection I33 with the shifting crank 22.- When the-hand lever I3 is turned (as distinguished from being rocked), the torque tube 33 turns the dog leg I33 and rocks the shifting crank 22.

Operation of the-remaining selecting-crank 2I' is eflected through rocking movement of the hand lever I3, and to this end there is provided a tall or extension I33 (Pig. 3);on the inner end or the hand lever I3. This extension has a slot I31, into which protects an end oi an arm I03 rigidly secured to the upper end of a slide rod II! by means such as the nut H0. The slide rod is movablewithin the torque tube 3! and extends down through the latter into a housing .bracket H2, and has spaced collars H3 (Fig. 4)

which fit into a yoke 4.011 a crank shaft II! joumaled in the housing bracket 2 and ter-- minating in a crank I it having a ball and socket connection I II with the connectingrod 20, which is connected at its opposite end with the selectturning movement of the hand lever will effect corresponding movement of the dog leg I03. In this manner. the cranks 2| and 2 2 may be selectively operated by various turning and rochng movements of the lever I5, as will be described more particularly hereinafter, it being pointed out that the leverages existing between the handlever I5 and theshifting yokes 30 and 30, include ing the intervening mechanism, are such that a very great mechanical advantage is procured so that very little effort is required in actuating the hand lever I5 to procure relatively great power for shiftingpurposes in the yokes 3i and 30. The advantages 'of. this in safely, and easily driving the vehicle are obvious.

. Operation Iii operating the illustrative embodiment, the

shift. lever is disposedin lowered position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, corresponding to neutral gear N." In order to shift into first speed, the operatorwill operate the clutch in the usualmanner and he will raise the hand lever I 5 to depress the slide rod I09, thus movi'ng the yoke H4 in the bracket housing downwardly from dotted to full line position; this willresult in an anti-clockwise movement of .the crank IIS' (Figs. 1 and 5) so that the connecting rod 20 will be moved toward the rightiFig. 1), thus a moving the selecting crank,2l toward the right mission gear into first speed,

as seen in Fig. 1 and toward the left as viewed in Figs. 6 and '7, with the result that the camtrack 02 will turn and urge the pin 46 to move the stud shaft 33 outwardly (Fig. 8 also), whereupon the selecting sleeve 62 willbe slid toward the left, as seen'in Fig. 8, or toward the bottom of the sheet as seen .in Fig. 7, toproject an end of the pin 65 into the block 54, whereupon the latter will be connected for operation by the shifting crank 22. The operator next moves the hand lever I5 forwardly (in a direction toward the top of the sheet, as viewed in Fig. 2, into the upper dotted line position, designated 1) this turning movement will rotate the torque tube so as to move the dog,1eg I03 toward the right (Figs. 1 and 5) with a consequent rocking of the shifting crank 22 toward the left, as viewed in Fig. '7, so that the block 54 will move toward the right and rock the trunnion arms 34 and the attached yoke' 30 toward the left, as seen in Fig. 6, thus moving t e standard transsignated I. In" order toselect reverse gear, th hand lever I5 isflrst rocked as aforesaid and hen moved, back into the lower dotted line posi ion indicated at R- m Fig. 2, with the result that the yoke as will be moved toward the right instead of toward the In order to select second speed, after having selected first speed in the'manner aforesaid, the

- operator moves the hand fever down from the upwardly rocked, forward position back to neutral, lowering the hand lever to normal position as he does so and continuing movement of the hand lever back in normally lowered position to the lower dotted line position designated II ing Fig. 2; this merely rotates the torque tube 95 and moves the dog leg I03 to rock the shifting crank 22 while the selecting crank- 2I remains in its normal position with the pin on the selecting sleeve disposed in the slot 53 in the connecting block on slide rod 5., this latter rocking of the crank 22 being toward the right, as viewed in Fig. '7, so that the slide block,-52 will move toward. the left with a consequent movement of the yoke 30 toward the right into position 11, thus selecting the standard second speed.

quent movement of the shifting crank 22 toward.

the left, as viewed in Fig. l, and since the selecting crank 2I is used in normal position (due to the hand lever being at the normally lowered level), the slide block 52 will be shifted toward the right with a consequent movement of theyoke 36' toward the left into third speed, desig-. e

nated III (Fig. 6).

A modified form of translating mechanism for connecting thehand lever with the shifting mechanism is illustrated in Fig. 11 and includes a housing bracket I20 secured to the lower end of the steering post I6 and through which a control rod I21 projects for engagement. with an arm.l22 keyed on the rod to turn with the same,

the rod I2I bein'g mounted for turning as well as axially shifting motion/A pair of rocker arms I23 and I24 are pivoted on shafts I25 and providedwith free end portions or extensions I23 and I24 adapted for connection with cranks I23 and I2'I'i n the gear shifting mechanism, the

latter. cranks corresponding to cranks which are mounted on the shafts 30 and-3t for individually rocking andv shifting yokes-36 and 33, in the device of Fig. '7. i

- Mounted eccentrically of the pivotal axis of the translating rockers I23 and I24 are aligned pins I28 and I29 one of which is disposed in aslot I30 at the end of the arm I22 whenever the rod MI is moved axially.

In operatingthe translating device of Figs. 10

. and 11, a manual control lever I3I arranged for both turning and,-rocking movement, similarly to the lever I5, is manipulated to turn and slide the rod I2l. W'hen the lever I3I is in its normally lowered position, the arm I22 will be disposed in engagement with the pin I29 so as to rock the lever I24 whenthe handle I3I is turned. By rocking the operating lever, rod I2I may be moved upwardly to engage the slotted end I30 of arm I22 with the pin. I28, thus permitting the translating arm I23 to be rocked.

The objects and advantages of the invention may be accomplished by other forms of construction, operation, and arrangement of parts than'fthat set forth herein for purposes of illustration, and the invention is therefore not restricted to the details recited except .as may be provided in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. Gear shifting mechanism for cooperation with transmission gears mounted on a transmission shaft of a transmission gear set, said mechanism comprising: a housing having a pair of parallel gear shifting shafts disposed transversely to said transmission shaft in spaced relationship therealong, a pair of gear shifting yokes mounted on said gear shifting shafts for rocking movement about the substantially parallel axes thereof, a pair of slide blocks mounted for parallel slidingomovement in a direction'transve'rse to the rocking axes of said yokes and parallel with said transmission. shaft, means drivingly connecting each of said slide blocks with one of said yokes, a selective connecting member, selecting shaft means for supporting saidconnecting member for sliding movement between said slide blocks in a direction transverse thereto into and out of driving engagement with either one of said slide blocks, means for selectively moving said connecting member for the purpose aforesaid, and means for moving said connecting member in opposite directions substantially parallel to the axes of said slide blocks for rocking movement of a selected one of said shifting yokes.

2." Gear shifting mechanism for use with transmission gears mounted on a transmission shaft including a housing having a pair of .spaced parallel gear shifting shafts disposed transversely of said transmission shaft, a pair of' gear shifting members mounted on said gear shifting shafts and arranged for rocking movement about the parallel axes of said gear shifting shafts in spaced relationship along said transmission shaft, a pair of slide members mounted for sliding movement substantially side by side transversely of said gear shifting shafts and substantially parallel with said transmission shaft, each of said slide members having operative connection with one of said gear shifting members, a shifting crank shaft and a selecting crank shaft each extended transversely at one side of said slide members, a connecting device arranged for'sliding movement in a direction transversely of said slide members on said shifting crank shaft, means on each of said slide members operatively engaged by said connecting device in response to the motion of the latter in opposite directions on said shaft toward one or the other of said members, said connecting device being keyed for rotation with said crank shaft and being operable, when the latter is turned, to slide one of said slide members with which said connecting device may be operatively engaged, whereby to move the corresponding gear shifting member, and cam mechanism operatively connected to said selecting crank shaft and responsive to the swinging thereof to effect sliding movement of said connecting device whereby to select the desired slide memher.

3. Gear shifting mechanism for use with transmission gears mounted on a transmission shaft including a housing having a pair of spaced parallel gear shifting shafts disposed transversely of said transmission shaft, a plurality of gear shifting members mounted on said gear shifting shafts for oscillation about the parallel axes thereof and arranged inoperative engagement with said transmission gears, reciprocable members mounted for movement transversely of said gear shifting shafts and substantially parallel with said transmission shaft and each having operative connection with one of said gear shifting members,'a shifting crank mounted to rock about an axis transverse to the direction of movement of said reciprocable members, a coupling device mounted for sliding movement coaxially with the rocking axis of said shifting crank and arranged to be rocked by said crank, a selecting crank mounted to rock about an axis parallel to that of said shifting crank, a selecting cam operatively connected to said selecting crank shaft and a cam follower device arranged to operatively interconnect said coupling device and selecting cam and responsive to the swinging of said selecting crank to slide the coupling. device back and forth for selective coupling with either of said reciprocable members for movement of the latter by said shifting crank.

4. A transmission gear shift including, in combination, shifting blocks mounted for reciprocation in parallelism for selective actuation of gear shifting means, a rocking shaft extending transversely of the direction of movement of said blocks, a coupling'member mounted for axially shifting movement on said shaft for selective engagement with either of said blocks and also arranged to be oscillated by said rocking shaft, a shaft mounted foraxial displacement in parallelism with said rocking shaft and operatively connected with said coupling member to move the latter back and forth as aforesaid, and cam means movable about an axis parallel with that of said last-mentioned shaft and operatively associated with the latter to effect back and forth movement of the same to shift said coupling member into operative engagement with one of said blocks responsive to movement of the cam means in opposite directions.

5. In a gear shifting device including recipro cable shifting members arrangedfor individual movementin parallelism, selecting and operating means including a rocking shaft extending transversely of the direction of movement of said shifting members, a selector member mounted for axially sliding movement on said rocking shaft into and out of engagement with each of said shifting members and also mounted for oscillatory movement with said rocking shaft to effect reciprocation of that one of said shifting members with which it is associated as aforesaid, a selecting shaft mounted for axial displacement in parallelism with said rocking shaft and operatively connected with said selector member to effect movement of the latter into and out of operative engagement with a desired one of said shifting members, and a second rocking shaft mounted for movement about an axis parallel with that of said first rocking. shaft, and cam means oscillated by said second rocking shaft for coaction with cooperating cam'means on said selecting shaft to effect displacement of the latter in opposite directions responsive to movement of said second rocking shaft in opposite directions. said rocking shafts being adapted for actuation by manual control means disposed on a steering wheel structure.

FRANK GIRARDI. SALVATORE CIPULDO. 

